


Only In Dreams

by vexbatch



Category: Marvel
Genre: Comfort, Cuddling & Snuggling, Deaf Clint Barton, Dreams and Nightmares, Established Relationship, Ice Cream, It's all a dream, M/M, Nightmares, clint is a little gross, mild panic attack
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-01
Updated: 2020-08-01
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:42:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,022
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25641517
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vexbatch/pseuds/vexbatch
Summary: Clint has a nightmare, but Bucky is there to reassure him.Kisses Bingo fill: Cheek Kisses/Laying Head On Shoulder
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Clint Barton, Winterhawk
Comments: 12
Kudos: 55
Collections: Kisses Bingo





	Only In Dreams

_ Clint reaches into the freezer, digging past the stack of frozen pizzas to find the ice cream Bucky’d bought for him. It was a new kind, supposedly a mermaid flavor, and Clint had waited through all of dinner  _ and _ the rest of the episode of The Expanse before grabbing ice cream. _

_ The package was weirdly sticky, and upon closer inspection, there was purplish goop frozen to the side of the tub. Clint leaned against the counter, slowly licking the side of the container. This side had a sweet raspberry tang to it, and Clint closed his eyes to enjoy it more, ignoring the taste of waxy cardboard underneath.  _

_ A moment later, there was the noise of a throat clearing, and Clint opened his eyes to see Bucky hovering nearby. Clint grinned over at him, but Bucky’s face remained twisted and confused.  _

_ “Don’t you hate it when the ice cream escapes the container?” Clint holds up the tub to show what he means, but Bucky doesn’t replicate Clint’s own grin. A thread of worry starts to worm its way into Clint’s mind. _

_ “You know,” Bucky says, still awkwardly distant, “you could be using your tongue for something else.” _

_ Clint tilts his head, vaguely aware of how much he must look like Lucky. “But ice cream?” _

_ Bucky huffs out a sigh, but it’s not one of his amused ones. There’s a smile there now, finally, but it looks painful and forced. Bucky takes a halting step forwards, and Clint just watches as he draws closer before placing a gentle peck on Clint’s cheek. _

_ Confused and a little worried, Clint’s brow furrows as Bucky pulls back. “What was that for?” _

_ “I think I need to say goodbye. I just…” Bucky’s eyes flick down to the tub of ice cream Clint has been licking at. “I can’t. I’m sorry, Clint. I don’t love you anymore. I hope you can find someone else…” _

Clint jerks up, a cry on his lips and tears streaking down his face. He looks around frantically trying to process where he is.

Their bedroom. Is it still their bedroom?

Clint glances down, panicked, clutching at the mass next to him…

“Mmph? Mmmph?”

It’s Bucky. It’s really Bucky and not consolation pillows and not just Clint being a sad sack and Clint  _ throws _ himself down, causing a little  _ oomph  _ to escape Bucky’s lips. Clint clings to Bucky like he’s a lifeline, and he  _ is,  _ Bucky is the only thing keeping Clint from losing his shit right now.

A hand comes up to stroke through Clint’s hair, and Clint has the sudden, desperate need to hear Bucky’s voice. Somehow through the panic, he manages the word, “aids?” He’s sure it’s too loud and mumbly, but he can feel Bucky stretching, then a hand coming up to find his own. Clint gratefully takes the aid, glad it’s his left one, and loops it around his ear before turning it on.

Clint’s hand resettles on Bucky’s chest, but his lungs still feel constricted, not sure what to ask to check to make sure...to make sure he’s still Bucky’s.

Bucky’s hand is stroking lazily up and down Clint’s side, and after a few moments, he finally speaks with a sleep-rasped voice. “You doin’ okay, love?” 

Clint freezes, feeling like his lungs have suddenly congealed. A whimper manages to work its way out, and the hand leaves his shoulder to tip Clint’s face up to look at Bucky.

“Honey, did you have a nightmare?” There’s only concern written in those storm grey eyes, but the image of Bucky turning away keeps overlapping, forcing the question of what is real right now.

Clint squirms for a moment, but Bucky holds him fast until he finally gives up. Taking a shaky breath, Clint manages to get out, “you love me, right?”

There’s a beat, just enough of a pause for Clint’s heart rate to pick up again, before Bucky replies, “Of course, Clint. What’s going on?”

“Even though…” Clint swallows past the massive lump in his throat. Talking about  _ any _ thing right now feels impossible, much less about this, but Clint desperately,  _ desperately _ needs the reassurance. “You love me even though I sometimes lick the tub of ice cream?”

And the rumbling laugh that comes next reassures Clint more than anything. “I think it’s  _ adorable _ when you do that, even if it’s kinda gross.” The warm smile Clint can see spread over Bucky’s face makes his heart skip again, but this time with love instead of fear. Clint stretches up to capture those lips with his own, and they spend a few moments enjoying the sleepy softness of each other. Bucky breaks away, leaning back a little and casting a serious gaze at Clint. “But if you touch my butter pecan, there will be  _ consequences _ .”

And that is what startles a laugh out of Clint, any remaining tension completely forgotten. Clint wiggles his way over until he can comfortably lay his head on Bucky’s shoulder. Bucky starts running his hand down Clint’s side, and Clint lets out a contented sigh. 

“It was a nightmare,” Clint finally says. “I was licking my ice cream, and you said you didn’t love me anymore and you had to leave…”

Bucky’s arms clamp down on him, and the crushing is mostly very reassuring. Mostly.

“Buck?!” The words come out a little strangled, and Bucky lets out a huff as he loosens his grip.

“I love you, Clint Barton,” Bucky says, a fierce determination in his voice that brooks no argument. “That’s not gonna change.”

Clint hums happily, snuggling impossibly closer to Bucky. “Even if I lick your butter pecan?”

Bucky groans, but Clint’s pretty sure he can hear a smile in there somewhere. “Yes,” comes the grumbling reply. “I’ll still love you, even then.” 

Clint can feel Bucky move above him before a kiss is planted on his hair. Clint smiles, reaching up to tug his aid back out. “Love you,” Clint mumbles, passing the aide over to Bucky so he can put it back on the bedside table.

There’s an answering rumble from Bucky’s chest, and Clint falls blissfully back to sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!
> 
> The ice cream that dream!Clint is eating _does_ actually exist; I found it one day at my local grocery. It's vanilla, blueberry, and raspberry with "candy crunches" in it. I didn't end up buying it, but it sounds like something Clint would appreciate.


End file.
